


Something Without a Ship on the Bottle

by KitsuneGirl911



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Hannibal is Not-So-Secretly Sugar Daddy Material, How Has This Title Not Been Done Yet, Jack is clueless, M/M, The Science Bros Ship It, Will Is Okay With That, slight crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-27
Updated: 2015-01-27
Packaged: 2018-03-09 06:29:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3239723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitsuneGirl911/pseuds/KitsuneGirl911
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal and Will get together thanks to an appropriately timed and only slightly insulting gift from our favorite psychiatrist. Beverly knows something is up. And it's awesome.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Without a Ship on the Bottle

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly wrote this in less than an hour, so excuse its fluffiness. Fluff being of both the 'oh gosh the cute' and 'why was this written' variety. I like this piece though. So sue me. XP

It started simply, as these things tend to do. Will found a gift wrapped bottle on his desk at Quantico with a note claiming it was from one H. L.; Will knew it was definitely from Hannibal as soon as he opened it. He had honestly expected a bottle of wine and an invitation to dinner. Instead Will was floored to find the goddamned fanciest bottle of very expensive aftershave he had ever seen. _What. The. Fuck._ He gingerly moved the hand holding the bottle back over the desk. Will was sure if he dropped it he'd be wasting his annual salary in one go. He had to have _words_ with Hannibal. Now.

_+_

The self-satisfied and uncharacteristically honest grin on Hannibal’s face where he stood waiting in the otherwise vacant lab was the last straw. But Will was nothing if not controlled.

“I assume this is your way of tactfully telling me I reek?” Will snapped, though it lacked heat and his arched brow was more inquisitive than accusing.

Hannibal's face looked reproachful, as if it were Will being unreasonable here.

“While I admit your previous aftershave was not my favorite scent, I meant this as only a positive gesture.”

“A positive gesture to what end? I hope this isn't an apology for something; but I _know_ you wouldn't apologize for something I didn't know you did.” Will peered at his friend suspiciously over his glasses, and guessed (correctly) that this wasn't an apology in any way, shape, or form. Hannibal remained silent with his hands loosely clasped behind his back to allow Will to work this out for himself. He knew Will would turn up the truth shortly. “Okay, so… You bought me a gift because you wanted me to know you care. But I already knew that. This is a pretty fucking expensive gift to get a friend, Hannibal, what were you- Oh God.”

Hannibal was beyond pleased with this deduction and it showed. Will was flabbergasted, not only by the answer smacking him in the face, but also because Hannibal didn't say ‘Yes?’ in response to Will's oath. It spoke volumes that he didn't take the opportunity to joke about the profiler’s knee-jerk response. Hannibal kept quiet for now, curious about Will’s reaction to all of this. Hannibal didn't have to wait long. Will’s face turned a rather fetching shade of rose and he shrunk into himself.

“This is a- a _courting_ gift?” Will nearly choked on the word courting (and really, with Hannibal it couldn’t be called anything else), his face was burning, and he really wished he was anywhere but here. Jack’s office, even. Well, only if Jack himself wasn't in it; Will wasn't disgusted by this epiphany.

Hannibal’s smile turned somehow darker but no less genuine.

“Exactly so.” Hannibal watched Will sputter and flail in abject embarrassment for but a brief moment, assuring himself he would see this charming side of Will quite often from now on. He didn't have to prolong Will's distress too long, this time. “Are you going to keep it?” Hannibal pressed Will gently, mindful of the man's skittish nature and the very real possibility that he might bolt like a startled deer at any moment. Will shuffled his feet like he was a child caught misbehaving, yet he settled down somewhat. “Will?” he tried again.

“Y-yeah,” the profiler admitted with his head bowed in an endearing portrait of shyness. Hannibal made a mental note to start a sketch this evening. “But you didn't have to spend so much on it. I'd be fine with one a quarter of that price.” Will had raised his eyes to Hannibal's tie challengingly.

“I disagree. Besides, I don't want you to have to settle with ‘fine’.” Will honestly had no idea what to say to that, so he changed the subject. Naturally, Will saw that Hannibal had noticed. _Damn._

“I expected a bottle of wine and an invitation to dinner, when I saw that sitting on my desk.” Will then realized what he'd just done and covered his face with his hands. “Please stop writing a mental note to do so next time,” he groaned.

“I won't do that next time, I assure you.” Hannibal looked too smug for his own good, but Will's self-preservation skills finally kicked in and he kept his comments on that to himself. Great. Now he'd be ambushed with it when he least expected it. Good going, Graham. “I was planning on a dinner for us tonight, however. If you would do me the honor?”

Will wondered, not for the first time, how Hannibal could make such a polite question sound like an outright command. It was impossible to refuse. Will envied that ability. Maybe Hannibal could teach him.

“Sure,” Will said and found himself nodding his assent with the beginnings of a dopey smile on his face, “So are we officially an ‘us’ now?” he asked tentatively, already worried about pushing this wonderful thing too far.

That was a commendable notion, but entirely unnecessary, Hannibal mused to himself. He would have to reassure the profiler that he was very unlikely to ever push this too far. Hannibal knew he had a weakness in Will Graham. He put up with his canine family members, didn't he? Surely Will understood the magnitude of that level of commitment…?

“Would you like that, Will? I know I am yours already.”

Will’s face was red again but he kept his composure and made solid eye contact when he declared, “If you are mine, then I am yours.”

Hannibal closed the distance between them with a couple confident strides, and was gratified to see Will hold his ground eagerly.

“Oh, Will…” Before Hannibal could actually touch his beloved, Jack sailed in brusquely. Will’s face was a worrying mix of pallor and blush as he fairly leapt away, and Hannibal glared at an oblivious Jack when he was turned the other way. The man truly had no tact.

“The others will be here soon; glad you could make it Dr. Lecter.” Will was grateful to be ignored for once while he got his breathing back under control. Small mercy it wasn't Beverly who had caught them. Will shuddered to think of what was going to happen inevitably, as soon as she figured out what was up. Hell, she probably already knew, knowing her. _Oh God._

“Hey Will, Dr. Lecter,” Zeller managed to greet them both even as he strode into the room, despite experiencing a round of hearty banter with Price who trailed after him, “But there is no conceivable right answer to that question!” Zeller exclaimed after half a breath, hands flying up as much as was possible, weighed down as his arms were with various bags of equipment.

“But even the answer of ‘no right answer’ is a right answer! Hey guys.” Price smiled brightly and waved with his free hand; it was clear he'd somehow pawned off one of his bags to the exasperated Zeller.

Jack’s few allotted seconds of peaceful patience had been expended and the man was currently glaring at the clock with his usual passion.

“Sorry I'm late, I stopped over at _someone's_ ,” and here she gave Will a look that said the jig was up, “office to see if he wasn't spacing out again.”

“S-sorry Bev.” Will stammered with his now permanent red faced look. Price and Zeller didn't seem to know about what she must have seen on his desk… yet. Will seriously regretted not covering up the incriminating bottle before he left. Stupid, careless, rookie mistake…

“Now that everyone's here, let's get down to business.” Even as Jack started droning on about the case they were about to be knee-deep in, Will knew things were only just beginning as he felt the weight of Hannibal's adoring gaze (how had he ever missed that?) and Beverly’s shrewd glances.

_+_

“So, got a secret admirer, Will?” Beverly cut right to the chase as she sidled up to him with her usual curious enthusiasm.

“No.” Will knew Hannibal’s attention was uncomfortably centered upon his now sweating form.

“Don't lie to me Will, that must've cost a fortune, and none of us here can afford that.” Beverly had an expression on her face best defined as a cross between puppy eyes and righteous indignation.

“It's not a ‘secret’ anything, Bev. I'm not lying, um, exactly…”

Hannibal's dangerous aura dissipated almost before Will had sensed it appear, which Will had to admit took a lot of skill.

“Whoa, what?” she exclaimed, clearly not expecting as straight of an answer as this.

“Gotta go-” Will excused himself in a rush, practically leaving Hannibal to the proverbial wolves. Hannibal was summarily rounded on by a still nosy Beverly.

“You're his best friend, you must know something!” Beverly crossed her arms over her chest and tried unsuccessfully to stare the psychiatrist down. However, the man didn’t see the need to hide anything this time; quite the opposite in fact.

“I do indeed,” Hannibal replied with sunny cheer, unable to hide his amusement towards all of this. Will wasn't comfortable disclosing information Hannibal wasn't expressly okay with, so his hasty retreat was understandable. A good choice under duress, but he expected no less from Will.

“Wait a second- _You_ can afford that kind of present… Oh cool!” Beverly was instantly happy for them, and told Hannibal so. Of course the small commotion she caused in doing that brought over Price and Zeller. Thankfully Jack had left already. Hannibal wouldn't want to be rude to Will by letting this development slip to Jack. Also convenient, he wouldn't look suspicious since with Jack absent, he didn't have to lie. And he rather liked the idea of showing Will off on his arm; if Hannibal could do so obviously but unknown to Jack it would be that much more satisfying.

“What happened, Bev? Hannibal finally got Jack to give Will a vacation?”

Beverly glanced at Hannibal to put the ball in his court; she didn't want to push any more boundaries today.

“Unfortunately, I have not yet succeeded on that front. Ms. Katz was merely offering congratulations towards Will and myself now being in a relationship.”

“Whoa, sweet!” Price gasped with an almost teary eyed look, “You guys…” Definitely teary eyed.

“Seriously man, stop crying, it's embarrassing,” Zeller commented dryly to the sniffling man next to him, before leveling a sober look on Hannibal, “You are just what Will needs, Dr. Lecter.”

“Thank you, I certainly hope so. But I'm afraid dinner won't make itself…”

With much winking and good natured teasing left in his wake, Hannibal strolled off to prepare for the exquisitely elaborate evening ahead of him and Will.


End file.
